Lanzarote Hospital Expands Diabetes and Obesity Services as Demand Continues to Grow
Residents across Lanzarote are set to benefit from expanded specialist healthcare services as Hospital Universitario Doctor José Molina Orosa in Arrecife has strengthened its Endocrinology and Nutrition Department in response to a growing number of people living with diabetes, obesity and other metabolic conditions.
The move reflects an increasing demand for specialist care across the island and forms part of an ongoing effort to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and long-term patient support.
More Specialists to Meet Rising Demand
To cope with the growing workload, the hospital has expanded its specialist team from four to six endocrinologists. It has also recruited:
- A third specialist diabetes nurse.
- Four additional healthcare support assistants.
These extra staff are intended to help reduce waiting times while allowing more patients to receive specialist care sooner.
Diabetes Cases Continue to Increase
Health authorities estimate that around 14–15% of adults in the Canary Islands are living with diabetes, although many people may not yet have been diagnosed.
The hospital has seen this reflected in its own activity. Between 2022 and 2025, medical consultations within the Endocrinology and Nutrition Department increased from 7,607 to 9,087, representing growth of more than 19%.
Perhaps most notably, first-time appointments rose by more than 46%, suggesting that increasing numbers of people are being referred for specialist assessment.
Greater Support for People Living with Diabetes
The hospital’s specialist diabetes nurses provide far more than routine appointments. Their role includes helping patients understand and manage their condition through education and practical support.
This includes guidance on:
- Using insulin pumps.
- Continuous glucose monitoring systems.
- Healthy eating and nutrition.
- Lifestyle improvements.
- Preventing long-term complications associated with diabetes.
Helping patients manage their condition effectively can reduce the risk of complications affecting the heart, kidneys, nerves and eyesight.
New Specialist Clinics Introduced
As part of the expansion, the hospital has also introduced several dedicated services designed for patients with more complex healthcare needs.
These include:
- A specialist thyroid nodule clinic to speed up diagnosis and follow-up care.
- A new Obesity and Nutrition Clinic supporting patients requiring intensive nutritional management.
The obesity service will also work with patients preparing for or recovering from bariatric (weight-loss) surgery, as well as those living with neurological conditions or certain digestive cancers that require specialist nutritional care.
Better Care for Lanzarote Residents
Hospital officials say the additional investment allows healthcare professionals to provide more personalised and multidisciplinary care while improving coordination between primary healthcare centres and hospital specialists.
Alongside outpatient services, the hospital is also continuing nutritional screening for inpatients to identify those at risk of malnutrition early, helping improve recovery and reduce complications during hospital stays.
What This Means for Lanzarote
For both residents and long-term visitors, the expansion highlights the continued investment being made in Lanzarote’s public healthcare system. As diabetes and obesity become increasingly common across Spain and the Canary Islands, improving access to specialist care is expected to play an important role in earlier diagnosis, better disease management and improved long-term health outcomes.
